The truth about over-50s sex
![The truth about over-50s sex](https://rddevelopment.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/16-sex-and-intercourse-one-and-the-same-GettyImages-996828442-770.jpg)
Judging from the images the popular media puts forth, you’d think sex was only for 20-somethings. Nothing is further from the truth. Sex at midlife and beyond is a subject mired in confusion and misinformation. Here are some common myths, and the straight story about sex after 50.
Myth: Beyond a certain age people are less interested in sex
![Myth: Beyond a certain age people are less interested in sex](https://rddevelopment.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/04-sex-can-give-you-a-heart-attack-GettyImages-901008782-770.jpg)
Fact: There is no age limit on sexuality, but for people age 50 and over, sexual satisfaction depends more on the overall quality of the relationship than it does for younger couples.
A National Council on Ageing survey from the US reports that among people aged 60 and over who have regular intercourse, 74 percent of the men and 70 percent of the women find their sex lives more satisfying than when they were in their 40s.
Myth: As a man ages, he loses his ability to get an erection
![Myth: As a man ages, he loses his ability to get an erection](https://rddevelopment.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/00-man-on-bed-GettyImages-79383462-770.jpg)
Fact: Ageing itself is not a cause of erectile dysfunction. However, diminishing hormone levels do precipitate some changes.
A man may need more physical stimulation to become aroused, and his erection may not be quite as firm as when he was younger – but sex is no less pleasurable. While a 25-year-old man might be able to get a second erection as quickly as 15 minutes after an ejaculation, a 50-year-old man might need several hours.